Coupler operating mechanism



0d. 15, 1946. -J 5, sw

COUPLER OPERATINfiMECI-IANISM Filed Sept. 2, 1944 I 2 Sheets-Sheet lIN'VEN TOR.

m. J 5 m Oct. 15, 1946. J. s. SWANN I 2,409,322

COUPLER OPERATING MECHANISM' V Filed Sept. 2, 1944 2 Shets-Sheet 2 I NVEN TOR. Jam 5 Swann,

Patented Oct. 15, 1946 COUPLER OPERATING MECHANISM James S. Swann,Homewood, Ill., assignor to Standard Railway Equipment ManufacturingCompany, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Dela ware Application September2, 1944, Serial No. 552,471

v This invention relates to railway car coupler operating mechanisms,operable from the side of the car, and the principal object of theinvention is to provide an operating rod having a handle at its outerend normally non-rotatably supported by a bracket on the end of a carand having means at its inner end for attachment to the lock lifter of acar coupler so that upon rotation of said rod said lock lifter is swungto raise the coupler lock and thereby operate the coupler.

Another object is to so form the supporting bracket and the part of therod supported by the bracket so that, normally, the rod is non-rotatablein said bracket, but when the rod handle is operated in the usual way bya trainman the rod may be rotated within the bracket to operate thecoupler.

Another object is to so form the supporting bracket that when the rodhandle is released by the trainman the operating rod will automaticallyreturn to its non-rotatable position therein,

The desirability of normally non-rotatively supporting a coupleroperating rod has been recognized in the prior art, but in mostinstances known to applicant, it is necessary for the rod to be elevatedout of its held position before it can be rotated. This is objectionablebecause it requires a special operation by the traimnan which is notreadily apparent, especially when working in the dark. 7

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in thefollowing descriptionrthereof.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings forming part of thisapplication and wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

Fig. 1 is an elevational viewshowing the uncoupling rod supportedadjacent its handle end in a bracket and connected at its inner end tothe lock lifter of a coupler.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the rod and its supporting bracket showingfragmentary portions of the car.

Fig. 3 is a section through the rod on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of Fig.1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the bracket at right angles to that shownin Fig. 1 and illustrating the relation of the operating rod to thebracket.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged diagrammatic view showing the relation of theoperating rod to its supporting bracket and showing in dotted linesseveral positions of the movement of said rod during operation of saidrod to operate the coupler.

15 Claims. (Cl. 213-471) In the drawings, l indicates an operating rodfor an Association of American Railroads stand ard E coupler, which rodis provided at its outer end with a depending handle portion 2 and atits inner end with a hook portion 3 connected to an eye 4 of the rotarylock lifter 5, pivotally connected at one end, as at 6, to the link 1which lifts the lock of the coupler 8 upon swinging of the lock lifterand thereby operates the coupler. Adjacent the handle portion 2 the rodis supported adjacent the side of a car in a bracket 9.

The trend of railway freight train operation is toward faster movingtrains which causes greater wear and tear on the car and equipmentthereon, and sometimes the inertia built up in the operating rod, or thelock lifter, is suflicient to lift the coupler lock and thereby uncouplecars of a moving train. To prevent such an occurrence, I have designedmy operating rod so that in normal operation, i. e., at all times otherthan when the coupler is to be operated to'uncouple a pair of cars, saidrod is non-rotatably held in its supporting bracket. Consequently thehandle cannot whip due to said inertia and thereby un lock the coupler.This is accomplished by pro viding a non-circular portion in the rodadjacent the handle, which said portion is elongated in section (Fig. 3)and provided with a downwardly protruding lobe Ill, having taperingsides, which lobe is eccentric to the axis of rotation of the rod.

The bracket for therod comprises a supporting plate H which is providedwith spaced holes l2 through which bolts or other attaching means maysecure said plate to a fixed part of the end of a car, as, for example,the brace I3. The plate H is bent at slightly more than a right angle,as at M, forming a flange portion 15. A somewhat ear -shaped opening I!)is formed through the flange portion l5, which opening is countersunkfrom opposite sides of the plate so that when the operating rod issupported therein it may have a substantial pivotal movement caused by amovement of the coupler longitudinally of the car. The lower part of theopening [9 is restricted, being elongated or notched downwardly, as at20, and having downwardly tapering sides, to non-rotatively receive thelobe IU of the rod I, where the rod normally rests, as shown in Fig. 5.The upper part of the opening is larger, provid-. ing enough arear forthe rod to rotate suihciently to operatethe coupler, and it will benoted that upon the first movement of the operating rod handle,anti-clockwise, the lobe It will engage the guiding surface 26 of theopening and cause the operating rod to roll or slide on the prefer-iably arcuate bearing surface 2| of the opening, thereby elevating itselfout of the lobular part of the opening and up into the upper largerportion thereof, as shown progressively in dotted lines, Fig. 6. Inother words, it will be unnecessary for the trainman to first raise therod out of the lobular or restricted part of the opening before turningthe rod to operate the coupler. This is due to the fact that the centerof rotation 22 of the rod is above the first line of contact 23 ofarcuate surface 2| and consequently when the rod is rotated it will notbind against the tapered sides of the lobular portion .20. This .is amaterial advantage over such anti-rotating rod and bracket connectionsas shown in Richards Patent No. 2,000,987, of May 14, 1935, wherein therod must be elevated first before it may be-rotated. The upper part ofthe opening, furthermore, is so shaped that the operating rod cannot getin any position. therein from which it could not drop by gravity intothe lower part of the opening to normal. non-rotative position. when thetrainman releases his hold on the handle portion of .the

rod. It will be noted that when the rod is in its uppermost positionwithin the opening, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, upon release of thehandie by the trainman, the overbalancing weight of the rod from itsline of support upon the arcuate surface 2| causes'the rod to fall bygravity back to its normal non-rotative position. This is due to thefact that the center of gravity is always over the restriction.Furthermore, the contour of the engaging surface 26 is such as toprevent the rod from assuming any position wherein it could bind betweensaid surfaceZB and the armate surface 2!.

For application of the rod .to the bracket, the upper portion 24 of theflange thereof is cut from the outer edge of the bracket to the openingI9 thereof so that,said portion 24 may be removed and the rod appliedtherethrough to the opening when the portion .25 may be replaced andheld in place, as by a pin, bolt, cotter or other suitable means,indicated at 25.

ferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that theinvention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown anddescribed, as it is obvious'that various modifications thereof, withinthe scope of the claims, will occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. An operating mechanismfor a railway car Coupler comprising brackethaving an opening,

the lower portionofsaid opening being restricted,

and a rotatable operating rod, supported in said opening, said rodhaving a portion the cross section of which is such as to have anon-rotative relation thereto when positioned in said lower portion, oneside of said restricted lower portion being shorter than the other andmerging into a. bearing surface for the operating rod, and the otherside of said lower portion being longer and of .such contour in relationto said shorter side and bearing surface as to provide a guiding surfaceto cause said portion of said operating rod to roll and slide upon saidsaid bearing surface out of said lower portion when manually rotated.

2. An operating mechanism for a railway car coupler comprising asupporting bracket mountable upon a car, said bracket having spacedparts forming a restriction, a bearing surface, and a guiding surface,and a rotatable operating rod adapted to be operatively connected tosaid coupler to operate the same upon manual rotation of said rod, saidrod having a non-circular portion normally non-rotatively supported bysaid bracket in said restriction, against service move ments of saidcar, said bearing surface, guiding surface and rod being associated andarranged so that upon manual rotation of 'said rod said guiding surfacecauses said portion of said rod to roll and slide upon said bearingsurface out of said restriction.

3. The structure set forth in claim 2 wherein said bearing surface,guiding surface and portion of said rod arealso associated and arranged.so that when free to do so said rod will return by gravity to normalposition within said restriction.

4. The structure set forth in claim 2 wherein said bearing surface,guiding surface and portion of said rod are also associated and arrangedso that when said portion has been manually rotatedout ofsaid'restriction, the center of gravity of said rod is sopositionedrelative to the restriction that, when free to do so, saidportion of said rod will return by gravity to normal position with-v insaid restriction.

5. An operating device for a car coupler having a lock lifter, saiddevice comprising a rotatable rod adapted to be connected at one end tosaid lock lifter to operate the same' upon rotation of the rod, andmeans to prevent accidental ro-' tation of said rod due to servicemovements of the car sufiiciently to unlock said coupler, said meanscomprising a non-circular portion of said rod having a part eccentric tothe axis of rotation of said rod and engageable within a correspondinglyshaped notch in a supporting bracket, the perimeter of said notch andthe cross section of said non-circular portion of the rod being suchthat upon rotation of said rod saidp'ortionrolls and slides upon aportion of said bracket so that said rod may be normally rotatedsufficiently to unlock said coupler.

6. An operating mechanism ,for a car coupler, said mechanism comprisinga rotatable rod adapt- The accompanying drawings illustrate the ed to beconnected at one end to a locklifter of a coupler to operate the sameupon rotation of the rod, said rod having a non-circular portion havinga part eccentric to the axis of rotation of said rod and engageablewithin a' correspondingly shaped notch in a supporting'bracket, one sideof said notch being below the axis of rotation of said rod, wherebyuponrotation of said rod said portion rolls and slides upon a portion ofsaid bracket, .so that said rod maybe normally rotated suificiently tounlock said coupler.

'7. A railway car coupler operating mechanism comprising a bracketadapted to be secured to a railway car and having an opening there'-through, the lower portion of said opening being retricted and havingupwardly diverging sides, one of said sides having an arcuate upperportion, and an operating rod for operating the lifter of a car couplerand having a portion shaped and adapted to snugly fit within saidrestricted portion of said opening, the arcuate portion .of said sidebeing below the axis of rotation ofsaid rod, whereby upon rotation ofsaid red by" an operator to unlock the coupler said portion of said rodrolls and slides upon said arcuate portion out of said restrictedportion, so that said rod may be normally rotated sufliciently to unlockthe coupler.

8,. A structure as defined in claim "7 wherein the upper portion of saidopening is shaped so that when said rod is released by said operatorsaid portion of the operating rod returns by gravity into the restrictedportion of said opening. 1 I

9. A supporting bracket for a rotatable operating rod for a car coupleroperating mechanism, said bracket having an opening, the lower portionof said opening having inwardly tapering sides to prevent rotation of anoperating rod when mounted between said sides due to the servicemovements of the car, one of said sides being shorter than the other andprovided with a bearing surface for an operating rod and the other ofsaid sides being longer and of such contour in relation to said shorterside as to provide a guiding surface to cause an operating rod. to rolland slide upon said bearing surface out of said lower portion whenmanually rotated.

10. A supporting bracket for a rotatable operating rod for a car coupleroperating mechanism, said bracket having an opening, the lower portionof said opening being restricted to prevent rotation of an operating rodwhen mounted therein due to service movements of the car and one side ofsaid restricted lower portion being shorter than the other and providedwith a bearing surface for an operating rod and the other side of saidlower portion being longer and of such contour in relation to saidshorter side as to provide a guiding surface to cause an operating rodto roll and slide upon said bearing surface out of said lower portionwhen manually rotated. v 11. A railway car coupler operating mechanismcomprising a bracket adapted to be secured to a railway car and havingan opening therethrough, the lower portion of said opening beingrestricted and having upwardly diverging sides, and an operating rod foroperating the lifter of a car coupier and having a portion shaped andadapted to snugly fit within said restricted portion of said opening toprevent the rod being accidentally rotated by service movements of thecar, one side of said opening being below the axis of rotation of saidrod, whereby upon rotation of said rod by an operator to unlock thecoupler said portion of said rod simultaneously rises out of saidrestricted portion.

12. A railway car coupler operating mechanism comprising a bracketadapted to be secured to a railway car and having an openingtherethrough, the lower portion of said opening being restricted, and anoperating rod for operating the lifter of a car coupler and having a,portion shaped and adapted to snugly fit within said restricted portionof said opening to prevent the rod being accidentally rotated by servicemovements of the car, one side of said restriction having an arcuatesurface below the axis of rotation of said rod, whereby upon rotation ofsaid rod by an operator to unlock the coupler said portion of said rodsimultaneously rolls and slides on said arcuate surface out of saidrestricted portion.

13. A railway car coupler operating mechanism comprising a bracketadapted to be secured to a railway car and provided with a notch havingupwardly diverging sides and a supporting portion therebetween, and anoperating rod for operating the lifter of a car coupler and having aportion shaped and adapted to be supported upon said supporting portionbetween said sides to prevent the rod being accidentally rotated byservice movements of the car, one of said sides being below the axis ofrotation of said rod, whereby upon rotation of said rod by an operatorto unlock the coupler said portion of said rod simultaneously rises outof said notch.

14. In a railway car coupler operating mechanism having a bracketadapted to be secured to a railway car and having an openintherethrough, the lower portion of said opening being restricted, oneside of said restricted portion merging into an arcuate surface; anoperating rod for operating the lifter of a car coupler, said rod havinga portion shaped and adapted to be normally non-rotatively supportedwithin said restricted portion to prevent said rod from beingaccidentally rotated by service movements of the car, the axis ofrotation of said rod occurring above said arcuate surface of therestricted portion when the rod is supported therein so that uponrotation of said rod by an operator to unlock the coupler said portionof said rod rolls and slides upon said arcuate surface out of saidrestricted portion.

15. An operating rod for a car coupler operating mechanism, said rodcomprising a handle portion adjacent one end thereof extending in onedirection only at substantially right angles to the axis of rotation ofsaid rod, whereby said rod may be rotated about its longitudinal axis ofrotation, the other end of said rod adapted to be connected to andsupported by a couplerlock lifter so as to operate said lifter uponrotation of said rod, and a non-circular portion adjacent said handleportion adapted to be supported by supporting means attached to the car,said non-circular portion having a lobe ofiset eccentrically from oneside only of the axis of rotation of said rod and in substantially thesame direction as said handle, so that when said rod is supported bysaid lock lifter and said supporting means the offset weight of saidhandle and said lobe tends to maintain the majoraxis of said lobesubstantially vertical.

JAMES S. SWANN.

